Kelvin Kiptum smashes world record at Chicago Marathon

For the first time in 24 years, the marathon world record has been broken at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum smashed Eliud Kipchoge’s previous record by 34 seconds to become the first man in history to run under the 2:01 barrier, winning the race in 2:00:35.

Kiptum said heading into the marathon that he was healthy and believed he could potentially break the 2:01 mark, but stated at Friday’s press conference that Dennis Kimetto’s course record of 2:03:45 was the only thing on his mind. Kiptum led after the first 5 km, sharing the lead with his Kenyan compatriot Daniel Kibet Mateiko and a sole pacemaker. Kiptum and Mateiko reached halfway in 60:48 and stayed together until 30 km, when the second-fastest marathoner in history put on a blistering 5K surge of 13:51 between 30 and 35 km, leaving Mateiko in his rearview mirror.

The 23-year-old Kenyan closed his final 10K in 27:52 to break the tape in world and course record time. His final 21 km split was 59:47, one of the biggest negative splits in history. Mateiko ended up dropping out of the race around 38 km, which rewarded 2022 champion Benson Kipruto with a second-place finish in a new personal best of 2:04:02. Olympic bronze medallist and European record holder Bashir Abdi of Belgium finished third in 2:04:32.

“A world record was not planned today, but I am really happy,” said Kiptum post-race. “I came to Chicago to run fast and it’s amazing to see this (world record) time in front of me.”

🎥 WATCH: Kelvin Kiptum has moved the game on.

"I knew one day I would be a world record holder!" #AbbottWMM #ChicagoMarathon pic.twitter.com/NQMXrnGEXa

— Abbott WMMajors (@WMMajors) October 8, 2023

This is the first time the men’s marathon world record has been set in Chicago since American Khalid Khannouchi ran 2:05:42 in 1999. The women’s world record was set by Brigid Kosgei at the 2019 Chicago Marathon before Ethiopia’s Tigist Assefa obliterated the mark at this year’s Berlin Marathon on Sept. 24.

What’s remarkable about Kiptum is that he is self-coached and did not enter marathoning from a prolific track career like Kipchoge, Mo Farah, or Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele. He made his marathon debut last December at the 2022 Valencia Marathon, taking a commanding victory in 2:01:53–the fastest debut in history. He continued his dominance at the 2023 London Marathon, where he shattered Kipchoge’s course record and came within 16 seconds of the world record, with a 2:01:25 finish.

Sifan Hassan destroys course record at Chicago Marathon

Two American men hit Olympic standard

For the first time since 2021, an American marathoner has broken the 2:08 mark. Conner Mantz became the fourth-fastest U.S. marathoner in history, achieving a 29-second personal best to finish sixth overall, in 2:07:47. Mantz wasn’t the only American to run under the Olympic standard of 2:08:10; his former university teammate at BYU Clayton Young also achieved this, finishing seventh overall in 2:08-flat.

In his return to Chicago, Galen Rupp was the third American athlete to finish, placing eighth overall, just behind Mantz and Young, in 2:08:48.

Mantz and Young are the only two American marathoners to have met the Olympic standard, heading into February’s U.S. Olympic Trials.

The top Canadian finisher in Chicago was Marc-Antoine Senneville of Trois-Rivières, Que. Senneville finished 38th overall, with a personal best time of 2:19:19.

Swiss athletes Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner swept the wheelchair division, setting new course records of 1:22:37 and 1:38:44. Hug toppled his own course record from 2022 of 1:25:20, while Debrunner fought defending champion Susannah Scaroni (who finished in 1:38:46) in a sprint to the finish.

For full results from the 2023 Bank of America Chicago Marathon, click here. You can read the full women’s race recap here.